I have a feeling we’re about to see more people take to blogging– or come back to it. I obviously have a vested interest in blogging “coming back” since I, duh, blog. But I’m not even coming from this as a blogger exactly, but more as a consumer of social media who happens to also create content for social media. I’ve had a front row seat watching social media evolve over the years. I’ve seen the good, the great, and the downright ugly.
Here’s why I think we’ll see more people blogging again.
The elephant in the room is probably artificial intelligence, so I’m just going to address it quickly, though I think larger things are at play. I think AI is definitely going to affect how much more content we see online. And while I can see that being interpreted as a negative thing (content being written specifically for SEO by AI and taking over the search engine results), I think people are going to be seeking out content written by real people. Sure, a perfectly written SEO-optimized post is going to rank better with Google (and perhaps it is your first visit), if you’ve ever read an article like this you know how annoying it is to actually find the information you’re looking for. It’s written for SEO, not for consumers.
For example, we’re heading to Copenhagen right? I’ve landed on a few posts that are written generically and, yes, there is some valuable information there, but is it the information I want? Not really. I want to read about someone’s personal review of the hotel we’re staying in, I want to see someone writing about the cafe they visited every day while they lived there, etc. etc. While that’s one example that is just personally really relevant to me, but I feel like you’ve probably experienced something similar too.
Okay, so AI is here to stay. Got it. Where do actual non-robot bloggers come in?
The world has more content creators than ever. Scrolling through TikTok in January was pretty crazy because you could tell so many people made it their New Year’s resolutions to try to become a content creator. It felt like nearly everyone of all ages and demographics and interests wanted in on the game. (And to be clear, I think there’s room for everybody at the table. No gatekeeping here.) But here’s the dangerous part of the game…. if you’re just on social media, you’re at the mercy of these platforms.
These platforms can disappear tomorrow, you can be banned from your account without warning, and you don’t have control of your content. But most crucially, you have to play by their rules. You want your content to be seen by the right “eyes”? Today you may have to become an expert photographer, tomorrow you might have to figure out ways to take creative photos with your iPhone only, and next week you’ll have to figure out how to create video content. Oh and then the week after that? You need to go back to photos. Wait no… photo carousels. Use hashtags, but not those hashtags, wait that’s too many hashtags. Oh your videos need to have a hook, no actually you need to just post a seven second video, okay now dance! I think consumers are going to be exhausted by this (is this app for photos? is it for videos? why am I seeing this video? where are my friends?) and creators need to get smarter about where they put their content.
This is where I think we’re starting to see the shift. Newsletters are being pushed hard, subscriptions are being pushed hard. You see it specifically with the rise of Substack in particular. I’m not saying blogging is the perfect answer, I think for a lot of creators it won’t be a priority still and a lot of consumers won’t find themselves reading blogs. But I do think we’re going to see more of it being created and I think there is a big enough sector of people consuming content from creators who want more than what social media can offer.
In addition to following two hundred creators you’re interested in on Instagram and TikTok, I can see people wanting to then add five to ten creators they want to follow more in depth. I could be totally wrong, but that’s just what I’m predicting. I see it as a consumer, where I’m following people and have kind of “lost the plot” because they’re one story of many, like flipping through the channels on TV– just getting snippets here and there and have no idea who that person really is. It’s not that blogging will replace social media, but I think people are craving more personal content outside of a 7-second clip that shows up on your FYP or a 15 second story frame on Instagram.
Anyway, I could talk about this forever because I find it so interesting. I will, of course, keep blogging myself. And I’m happy to help anyone who wants to start a blog or add a blog to their existing social media.
In the meantime, I’ll share a few blogs that I love reading every morning:
THE STRIPE: Grace recently moved to Charleston from Brooklyn. She also just moved into a stunning home! I love seeing what she’s reading and trying to discovering her skincare secrets.
HALF BAKED HARVEST: HBH is my favorite food blog! I read it religiously and find myself pinning almost everything she makes– and returning to our favorites frequently. Her food photography is also 💯 and she shares her adventures in addition to recipes, too.
EMILY HENDERSON: Emily now has a content team, but every time she posts something new I dig in. They’re always super long posts (so lots of content to sink your teeth into) and she’s very vulnerable and thoughtful in her posts. I’ve especially loved learning more about her family’s move out of LA during the pandemic to a farmhouse they’re renovating in Portland.
CUP OF JO: Cup of Jo is probably the OG OG lifestyle blogger. As a trained journalist, to me her blog is much more like a digital magazine. She now has a team of writers too, and they bring in different voices all the time. I look forward to her new posts every day!
PS I miss Google Reader every day, but have found Feedly as an okay substitute. Not perfect, but it gets the job done.
As someone without social media (it’s just too much for me) I love this take. I am a big fan of reading blogs for the more personal approach and I look forward to reading yours every night before bed!
In this post you brought up the challenge of searching for something online that might be a local favorite – such as a coffee shop in a new city. I’m curious if you can share how you approach these searches when you’re looking for something within specific parameters – such as visiting a new city – as it’s something I struggle with as well. Even among blogs I follow regularly I’m at a loss for what to type in the search box when I’m looking for something I previously read but can’t remember when or in what particular post.
I feel the same way! I deleted all social media and have never felt betted, but blogs fill the need to keep up with my favorite people and get suggestions I love. Shoutout to Carly!
Interested to hear how she filters, I would love to know too.
I third this!! I still have Instagram but I only follow a very small group of people and limit my time there as much as possible. I don’t understand the point of TikTok and will never download that app lol (also because China owns them and I don’t trust them!).
I love that blogs are personal and they give me new ideas for different things without “trying” too hard that I feel like social media in general does. I look forward to reading yours every morning too and a handful of others I keep up with! Thank you for your thoughtful insights on this and everything you do!!
I second this. I am so terrible at typing what I am trying to search for as well.
Also, I think blogs are having more of a comeback. I read Carly’s almost daily and will read newsletters from other bloggers weekly!
Interesting points… I certainly hope so! I love to read blogs and I love blogposts that feel „old school“ – like your 10 things posts.
Looking forward to reading more thoughts about this!
Katha
// kathastrophal.de
Such a profound piece! I started reading and writing my own blog in college and haven’t stopped. Your blog is one of my favorites to catch up on every day!
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
Try The Old Reader! It mimics the look and feel of Google Reader really well.
I really appreciate your insight on this! First, I want to say, I’m so glad you are still blogging! So many people have shifted to social media. I do not feel the same way about consuming content on social media that I do when reading blogs. Social media just feels like a glimpse, but blogs can get into the details so much better. Anyway, I hope you are right and we see more people blogging! I know that something like 8 of out 10 blogs I loved to follow in the past are just tumbleweeds now.
I prefer blogs to most other social media. I don’t even care for blogs that are written by a team, as it feels too cluttered and disjointed. I like reading about people’s lives and their actual opinions. It’s sad that the internet is already cluttered with terribly written articles trying to advertise things, and AI is going to make it so much worse.
Ditto! Jane said.
As a female engineer that found engineering later in life, I like to go to schools to talk about my job (shamelessly recruiting girls to engineering). It was a surprise at first when you ask kids what they want their career to be and 100% say influencer/content creator. I hope we as a society can circle back around to aspiring to more traditional (but equally as exciting) jobs. Not everyone can be an influencer, and it has become oversaturated. I, personally, like the older style of blogs that are less polished, less magazine like, like someone mentioned earlier, the 10 things posts are fun.
Callan, I would read a blog about your career change to a still mostly male field! Your talks at schools to inspire future female engineers also sounds like an interesting topic.
I have dabbled with deleting Instagram over the years but I think it has finally stuck. It really is overstimulating and pushing things to me that I just don’t need. I already feel a shift and do not miss it at all! I read the same 5 blogs every day in the same order (lol!) but will definitely check out the ones you shared. For those who write well, the long verse format is such a more thoughtful way to share. Have a great day!
This was a great post to read! I do hope that blogs are coming back. I’d love for you to do a post where readers can submit their favorite blogs in the comments; I’m posting one on my blog tomorrow!
Fewer & Better
One of my favorites is http://www.everydayparisian.com. Truly first hand info of Paris!
Love Rebecca! I check this blog regularly, even when I don’t have another Paris trip planned. 🙂
I stumbled upon this post from Grace Atwood and was reading the comments and saw this. So sweet. Thank you! xo
As a consumer, I love hearing your perspective and completely agree. Stories and posts on social media now seem too fast pace and sporadic. It’s too much noise. I much prefer the pause and depth of the writings in a newsletter or blog.
I honestly feel like blogging never left… people just forget! I’ve managed my own channels but still blog daily after over a decade. My traffic is via google and Pinterest. People forget that blogging is still popular especially for me with recipe content. I can only share so many steps in a ten second reel
I personally love blogs – i wake up every morning and check them. I also agree – I am way more interested in your personal blog posts, but maybe its because I’ve been following you for a long time!
I love your thoughts on being a mom and your life, as well as your home posts the most. This also might be due to the life stage I am at- not a lot of my friends have kids so I find your posts like catching up with a friend!
Thank you for sharing!! I recently deleted my Facebook and am ready to do the same to Instagram, but as a 32 year old millennial where do I find ideas and inspiration? I don’t want to completely live under a rock, but it is for sure taking a toll on my mental health. Bring back blogs and long form writing. That’s said without social media [Instagram] where do I find creatives to follow? Very frustrated because I am an over consumer and want to cut back but not entirely cut the cord.
I feel the same way.
Glad to see, I am not the only one.
I’m totally on board with this and hope you are right, and not just because I’m a blogger too. Like you, I’m someone who loves checking my blog feed every day and consuming content quietly, thoughtfully, and at my leisure. OR, searching for relevant content when I need to solve a particular problem. Social media has all gotten so BIG and overwhelming that being on it feels like dodgeballs are being thrown at me. It’s also SO much more invasive on our precious time to LIVE versus endlessly scroll.
This post made my morning! As someone who just started a blog at the start of the year, I’ve been feeling a little “Is this the right move?” when everyone else is diving head first into TikTok and social media and seeing sometimes overnight success. I feel like I’m old fashioned in wanting to do it the old-school blog way, but feel so much more connected and invested in those with blogs that I follow – and agree, it’s playing the longer game in exchange for owning your content and setting your own rules vs. playing to the ever-changing rules of other platforms. Have loved following our blog – and especially this outlook/opinion. I have a feeling you’re right!
Cheers!
Natalie – https://whatnatisdoing.com/
I deleted social media years ago – I’m so thankful for bloggers who still BLOG so I can still see what they’re posting about!
I totally agree with you. I have a handful of blogs I read daily & I enjoy social media when I am on it, but my activity there is inconsistent, so it’s hard to keep up. I kind of just check in periodically.
This post gives me hope! I have been blogging (family travel blog) for five years and it seems like most people don’t care… I keep getting pushed towards social media TT..which doesn’t feel relevant or helpful to me of my readers.. I have been trying so hard to “be seen” and get traction and it’s not working 🙁
I have loved following along on your adventures for a good 8-9 years..and it is through you that I have “met: and followed Mackenzie Horan and Kelly Larkin and Julia Dzafic and Grace… and now I “check in” on all of you each day and LOVE reading your blogs (rarely do I check in on social media)… <3
I started ditching social media over a year ago and completely cut the cord with the final stragglers (dang TikTok! Reddit!) at the end of 2022.
Honestly, I feel FREE without social media. I have regained so much time and mental energy from not feeling obligated to post and not feeling like I’m stuck in a constant scroll/feedback loop. I am writing, reading, knitting and connecting with those who matter to me in ~real life~ more than I have in years. I feel like a social media detox evangelist.
All that said, I am incredibly grateful for blogs, as they keep me connected to some of the content creators I really did enjoy following via Instagram/TikTok. It is nice to consume long-form content, which is always fun and sometimes thought-provoking.
I check here (not sucking up, just true!), The Stripe, Cap Hill Style, and Cup of Jo every morning as I ease into the day. I also bounce around some others (Kelly in the City, Everyday Parisian, Peanut Butter Fingers) as mid-afternoon breaks.
There is so much to be gleaned from people and their personal experiences, and I find that these anecdotes (whether its somewhere to go, something to read, or just a great dress to buy) are more helpful than some AI-written, SEO-filled drivel designed to rise in the search ranks.
So glad to hear that you love what you do! As long as you’re blogging, I’ll be reading. 🙂
I do enjoy blogs because I like to read more than I like videos and photos with short captions. Words can paint a picture as much as a photograph! I used to have a travel blog where I enjoyed writing and giving recommendations. I made it private late last year and started a newsletter on Substack because it is more manageable for me. I have a full-time job in the tourism industry and a side gig as a yoga teacher, so I’ve found that writing a twice-monthly newsletter works better for my life right now. I’m also hosting my first yoga retreat next month in Chile so a lot of my time has been consumed by that and planning it – less time to write for sure!
I enjoy writing and reading blogs. I am excited about blogs coming back and I am usually looking for thoughtful and interesting writing that resonates with me. 🙂
https://movestretchrepeat.com/retreats-2023-valparaiso-chile
I really enjoy reading your blog. You are one of a small handful I read daily. I agree, it is a much better way to connect with a person vs social media. I read Grace’s blog daily too. I may check out the Food blog you recommended. Keep cranking out the blogs. And enjoy Copenhagen. We went in May 2022 and loved it. It is a very diverse city.
These are some of my favorite blogs too! I would love to see a list of your favorite HBH recipes (especially ones that are Jack friendly).
I second this also!! Love HBH! Would love to see kid friendly/easy ones that your family has loved.
This morning I saw on IG that Meta is testing out a new paid verification system that will provide the creator more security on their account and also prioritize their content. I snuck a look at the comments and everyone hated this! I hope that blogs are coming back – I really miss the 2009-2014 ish blogging era. That is when it was fun and felt more relatable
I would love it if you were right about that! A few of my favourite bloggers have not posted new articles since forever and the only content they produce is on YouTube, Insta and TikTok nowadays. I find myself getting bored with that content though, because it is just not…sustainable. Social Media content feels like a fast food menu, tasty while you consume it but afterwards you just feel drained. Blogs on the other hand (if they have relevant content and are as well made as your blog) feel more like a 4-star-menu that you can enjoy and after reading a good blog article I feel inspired, not worn out. So I would totally love a comeback for well-made blogs and I am glad that you never stopped writing yours 🙂
Comparing social media content to fast food is brilliant. That’s exactly how it feels.
As a creator, I miss the old days of blogging. I like social media but just for fun. Trying to keep up with all the changes isn’t for me. I’m glad blogging is making a comeback.
Carly! Thank you!!!!
(and I agree with everything you wrote.)
xx
Really cool take to hear from an industry pro. Social media has gotten to be a lot. There are too many *new* things to keep up with, and while it can be fun, I feel like so much gets lost in those snippets. I’ve always enjoyed your blog, and it was one of the first ones I read and stuck to reading.
I think that’s something you’ve done very well by playing the game a bit, but mostly staying true to yourself.
Hi. Carly 🙂
I agree with these, I`m also looking for contents that are genuine, real and not just a post to gain views. Ang blogging is much more like real and came from the heart content.
I love your blogs:)
Love from Philippines:)
If blogs are back, I’m going to bring back the old custom of dropping your blog’s link in the comments of other blogger’s blog posts. So desperation minute: https://thoughtfulmillennial.com/
I hope this is true. I’ve noticed a few newsletters I follow switching over to Substack, and with that, there has been a shift away from link-filled summaries of what they post on IG toward beautiful, thoughtful blogs with original content. It has been a breath of fresh air. And I do love the ability to interact with the newsletters.
I think part of the problem, for me, is that I’m getting so bored with social media. It feels like everyone is just producing the same content, doing the same trends, sharing the same products. And I get why it’s like that, from a business perspective, but as a consumer… I need more. I’m seeking human beings who have unique personalities. I think blogs are one way for people to really let their voices shine through. They don’t have to be trendy or flashy or attention-grabbing. They just have to be real. You can feel real in words. So I’m excited for this shift.
I’ve been blogging for 13 years now. I’ve set a goal to blog more this year. I also miss Google Reader too.
I hope this is true! As someone who blogs, but also reads a lot of blogs, I miss old school/pre-influencer blogging where people shared their experiences, favorite things, etc. I miss how authentic it felt during the earlier days of blogging and I’ve noticed that quite a few of the bloggers I’ve loved have shifted to social media and don’t post anymore. Hoping that we’ll see a lot more people turning back to blogging soon!
I have scaled back on my social media consumption big time lately and when I do pop on it’s exactly as you say, I’m hitting up my top 5 favorite influencers (yours included) and then I’m off! And then my favorites I read your blogs for more longer form content. The quick snippets of content on social one after another after another on and on for hundreds of people has gotten draining and overwhelming and I realized it’s no longer serving me. I’m with you, I think more and more people will start to feel the same. Keep the blog content coming 🙂
I used to LOVE reading blogs, but when it seemed people were shifting over to IG I followed suit and my blog reading fell off. Then Google Reader went away and poof! I hadn’t actively read blogs in years. Last year though I found Feedly and decided to start following my favorite bloggers again (not just on IG!) and I have to say, it’s been SO nice to rediscover. Feels more relaxing to read through actual pages and articles rather than quickly seeing snippets on IG…not that I don’t love that too, but just a different option. Hopefully we’ll see more of it coming back!
Wouldn’t that be amazing? I also much prefer blogs as I don’t have the patience to watch videos, and one photo on IG just isn’t the same. It’s frustrating that some of the blogs I want to read just stopped posting… sounds like I’m not the only one feeling this way…
xo,
Em @BloomingMagnoliasBlog.com
I’m excited and hopeful about the comeback of blogs. I was so bummed when when With Love from Kat decided to shut down her blog—I feel like we need more in-depth, long-form content, not less! I’ve been visiting Cup of Jo and Emily Henderson’s blogs for 10+ years. They’ve both done such a great job continuing to produce quality content and cultivating an amazing community.
I’d love to hear if you have any favorite newsletters, too! I recently started my own email newsletter during a career break from my tech marketing job: http://www.teahousenewsletter.com
PS: So appreciated all of your blogging tips, which I took lots of inspiration from!
SUCH a great post. 100% agree. I don’t use Tik Tok and have been limiting my time on Instagram so I truly hope that blogs do become more popular! Blogs take so much work but I love getting to connect more to the author and their story. Plus, I’m more likely to follow any links from a blog than a social post.